The World at Her Feet
by bungeegum
Summary: One night, Rin is suddenly afflicted with gulp! appendicitis...not knowing what to do, Sesshoumaru seeks the aid of Inuyasha's little band of ningens...COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

Ahoy minna-san! This is the first time I've written a story in my whole (not-so-sorry) existence, mind you. Its based on one of my fave pairings ever, Sess and Rin (kawaii!). Don't they just look so beautiful together, as a father n daughter tandem or otherwise? A lot of ideas have been brewing in my mind over the last couple of months ever since my sis finally cajoled me into watching Inuyasha (for years i swore that i would never even remotely like it, but it turns out i was wrong, obviously)...I fell in love with Sess and Rin at first sight, the others are quite fun to watch too, especially Sango and Miroku...yadda, yadda. Anyway, I always toy around with possible plots and storylines in my head but I've never attempted to put it on paper, until now that is. I just thought it would be a nice idea to begin with an Inuyasha fic, so there. I won't really mind what kind of critique I'm gonna get coz I ain't a bonafide writer in the first place, so feel free to mash n bash all you want... )

Oh yeah, I almost forgot…Sess, Rin and the rest of the Inuyasha-gumi do not belong to me. They are the property of Takahashi Rumiko-san. And no, I don't get anything out of this, just the pleasure of writing.

The World at Her Feet

Chapter 1

The giant orange orb was slowly sinking in the purple-tinged western skies. A mild breeze softly lifted the leaves off the slightly dewy grass. The 7 year-old girl in the orange and green yukata heaved a weary sigh of relief since it was time to set up camp once again. She is more often than not an exuberant and rambunctious being, but was feeling a bit out of sorts lately, having been kept awake all night by a persistent dull ache in her right side that later on turned into a sharp throbbing that was gradually increasing in intensity. She dismissed it as one of the rare stomachaches she gets whenever a certain type of food disagrees with her, but now she was beginning to worry when the day is almost over but the pain still remained.

She rejected the idea of asking the toad, Jaken-sama, for medication, since being a youkai, he would not know anything about human afflictions, would he? And besides, she did not want to worry him, more so now that her Sesshoumaru-sama was not with them as he was away on one of his sporadic errands. No, this will soon pass. And if the pain did not go away by morning, then that is the time she would tell him. With luck, her Sesshoumaru-sama would have been back by then.

Rin sighed again and plopped down next to the small fire Jaken made, reaching for the leaf with the mushrooms atop it so she can set them on sticks and roast them over the fire for her evening meal. The pain on her side was depriving her of her appetite but she knew she had to eat, if only to keep up her strength. She did not want to be a burden to her companions by becoming sick, so she would just have to bear it.

The tiny, green-skinned youkai watched the little girl wearily stabbing at the mushrooms with the sharp twigs he had gathered. He was not immune to her plight. He knew that she was feeling a bit under the weather, though he didn't know why, she didn't look ill at all. But she seemed to be favoring her left side, so it could be a stomach cramp or something. At least it didn't look serious. If she was really hurting, the lass would tell him what was troubling her, wouldn't she? Well she had to, because it was his job to keep an eye on her. If anything happened to Rin, Sesshoumaru-sama would certainly kill him.

Feeling a rare bout of pity for the exhausted girl (she did look worn out after all, what with the dark rings under her eyes and her sluggish movements), he clucked his tongue and said "You are going to ruin those mushrooms if you don't poke them right. Why don't you make yourself useful and take a nap under that tree while I see about dinner, you stupid girl?"

Muttering under his breath about the uselessness of ningens, he proceeded to take the food from her and set about preparing it himself.

Rin gave him a grateful smile and softly said "Hai, Jaken-sama, arigato." She rose to her feet gingerly and headed for the nearby tree. With another sigh she sank down next to the overlarge roots beside the two-headed dragon Ah-Un and curled up in a ball. She murmured "Gomen, Jaken-sama," and with that promptly fell asleep.

A short while later, as he was getting ready to roast the mushrooms over the small pit, Jaken noticed that the campfire was dwindling a bit. With a grumbling noise he made his way deeper into the forest to a small thicket of trees, about a hundred yards from the camp, intending to gather more wood. He hurried about his task, scooping as many twigs as he can carry in his stubby arms.

Upon returning to the camp, he heard a pitiful whimper coming from the slumbering Rin. "Oh no, what is it with her now?" he thought as he dropped the firewood and hurried over to her side.

She was curled up in a fetal position and clutching at her left side. Her face was scrunched up in an awful grimace. Rivulets of perspiration were streaming down her face. She was obviously in terrible pain.

Jaken was suddenly gripped by overwhelming panic. "Oiy, Rin, what's wrong?" He knelt down next to her and gave her shoulder a soft nudge. "Is your stomach ailing you?"

"Jaken-sama…" Rin's eyes slowly opened. "It hurts…ohh…it hurts so bad, please m-make it s-stop!" she moaned as another spasm of pain hit her. Tears gathered in her eyes as she struggled to catch her breath. "R-Rin thinks its something she ate…ahhh."

"Now, now, don't you worry now," he said in his most soothing voice, albeit shakily. "I'm sure Sesshoumaru-sama will be back soon. He'll know what to do. In the meantime…" his voice trailed off.

What was he supposed to do? He couldn't just sit by and watch her suffer, and yet he knows next to nothing about human ailments. With Sesshoumaru-sama being a youkai, there was certainly no need for them to be lugging any medicinal items with them on their journey. It never occurred to them that Rin might be in need of those remedies in the future. Perhaps, he could take her to a village, but the closest one was miles away. And even if he could, he wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to even move her, she was in so much pain. He would have to make up his mind soon though, or the girl could die (he shudders at the thought). If that happens, Sesshoumaru-sama would show him no mercy, and his own death would be inevitable. And even without his life hanging in the balance, he did not want to see Rin doubled over in agony. As much as he would hate to admit, he had grown fond of the little ningen and did not want anything awful to befall her.

"Well, ah lets see…" he fumbled. "Maybe I can make you something warm to drink? It could ease the pain a bit, er…"

"Jaken-sama!" Rin had never felt so much physical pain in her entire life. Her side felt as if hot knives were continuously stabbing at her. Sweat and tears mingled on her face, which was deathly pale. Uncontrollable groans worked their way out of her mouth.

Seeing her like this made Jaken want to burst into tears. He felt so utterly helpless, so damn useless. Extending a hand, he touched her forehead. It was icy cold. He quickly stood up and grabbed the saddle blanket on Ah-Un's back and hurriedly covered Rin with it. "You're g-gonna be f-fine, I'll come up with s-something." Patting her gently, he came to his feet again and began to pace in agitation. "Now what do I do," he thought, looking wildly around the campsite. He had to do something, anything, before her condition worsened…

"Jaken."

Jaken yelped and spun around to face the owner of that dispassionate voice. He was so startled that he tripped on his long robes. Groveling at his master's feet, he began to stammer "I-I…my lord, Sesshoumaru-sama, you have returned!"

"Indeed." The silver-haired youkai dismissed the prostrate toad without another thought and focused his golden eyes on the girl who was lying on the ground a couple of feet away. Something was wrong with this scenario. Rin _always_ ran up to him with a welcoming toothy grin every time he got back from one of his minor sojourns. How come she wasn't up and about to greet him in her usual manner? It was also strange that she was already in bed this early in the evening. No, she wasn't asleep. She was obviously in terrible pain, he could _sense_ it now emanating from her and he did not like it. Her features were dreadfully contorted and sweat was streaming down her face. His forehead curled in a slight frown as he made his way towards her.

"What's the matter with Rin?"

Writer's Yaps:

Alrighty, there you go, the first chapter, woooheee!

Hopefully, it won't be the last. sigh! 

As I've mentioned earlier, this is the first time I've attempted to write a story, so you would have to forgive me for any grammatical buchubuchus and bunbuns. If the chapter seems awkward in places, that's just due to my lack of writing experience. Hehe! However, please take the time to R&R…I'll be waiting. )

I seriously doubt there would be people clamoring for chapter 2, but I guess I'll just have to wait and see… )

takes a bow D 


	2. Chapter 2

**Writer's Yaps:**

Oh wow! I never would have dreamed that I would be getting quite a number of reviews this early (claps hands in delight)! Thank you, thank you! Hehe! Well then, here you go. I present to you the second chapter of The World at Her Feet…please, oh please tell me what you think. )

And yeah, I almost forgot. Thanks for the correction Trouble In Shangri-la! The appendix is indeed located on your right side, hehe! My friend had an appendectomy several years ago and I'm pretty certain the scar she got from it was on her left, which goes to show how reliable my memory is! So to keep everything accurate I'll be making the necessary changes to chap 1 and now focus on Rin's right side. Sorry about that! Ok, now I'm blabbing...without further ado, on with the story! )

**The World at Her Feet**

**Chapter 2**

The massive trees beneath him sped by in a blur. Under the bright wash of the full moon, the Taiyoukai Sesshoumaru swiftly traversed the miles riding on his whirlwind cloud. Snuggled in his one remaining arm was the body of a 7 year-old girl. Her countenance was twisted in a mask of pain. He did not know what the hell was wrong with her and only god knows how long she was going to last. But he was on his way to find out. He desperately _needed_ help. And he knew that help was in the form of a 16 year-old girl. The problem is, this particular girl was _closely_ associated with the one person in the world he detested the most (with the possible exception of Naraku)...his hanyou of a brother, that contemptible half-wit, Inuyasha.

Truth be told, Sesshoumaru wanted absolutely nothing to do with his sibling, but the circumstances were very unusual. If it weren't for the life of his Rin at stake here, he would never have resorted to something as preposterous as this.

When he saw Rin lying on the ground, moaning in excruciating pain, the first thing that came to mind was the sword at his side. She was in so much pain that she did not even notice him standing there. Perhaps he could use it to heal her? He immediately drew the magnificent fang from its sheath, the only memento his father had entrusted to him. It was a weapon meant to revive the dead, not to heal human maladies, but with Rin, he would have to take that chance, however slim.

No, as he first assumed, the sword did nothing to alleviate the child's suffering. He would be wasting precious time if he persisted to try and get results out of the Tenseiga. As was the usual case, he never should have expected anything worthwhile from such a useless sword. He would have to come up with something else. For the first time in his life, he felt it in his gut, the undeniable stirrings of something akin to panic, though his face stubbornly remained stoic. His options were rather limited, as he was as clueless about ningen illnesses as Jaken was. Possibly he could take Rin to a ningen village, but the humans would be terrified of him and he might end up just slaughtering them in his fury. Besides, Rin's condition was probably too complicated for their simple minds. Instinctively, he knew that this was not a regular case of indigestion or food poisoning. Upon questioning Jaken, Sesshoumaru found out that the child practically hadn't eaten all day, ruling out those possibilities.

_Inuyasha_. Just the thought of that name was enough to put him in a foul mood. But he had no choice. He would have to take her to Inuyasha and his human companion. The miko was a being from the future. She would know what to do. She _should_ know what to do. He did not want to think of the consequences when he finds out that she wouldn't be able to help at all.

True, he could always revive Rin with the Tenseiga, could he not? However, he was not certain if there were limits or rules governing the sword's power. Would there be consequences if he resurrected her for the second time? No, he was not willing to take that chance. And besides, he wanted her suffering to cease, and sitting idly by watching her slowly die was not something he would tolerate. She was _his_ charge after all; and it was his responsibility to care for her and to make certain she comes to no harm.

The alarming thing was he had no idea where his brother could be found at this time. He was throwing caution to the wind in thinking that he would be at the old priestess's village. In the wake of the lull for the search for Naraku, Inuyasha and his friends were known to spend a lot of their days in the old woman's hut, plotting absurd schemes in order to defeat that blasted youkai. He was taking a big risk in assuming that they would be there tonight.

"S-Sesshoumaru-sama, w-where are we going?" Rin asked in a faint whisper.

Sesshoumru looked down at the little bundle cradled in his arm and answered in a quiet voice "It doesn't matter. Save your strength and do not speak anymore."

Rin made an effort to smile, though it was strained. "This Rin knew it, This Rin knew you would come for her."

"Hmpph," was his answer to that one.

"Anou, Sesshoumaru-sama...if its not too much to ask, can you tell us where we're headed?" the pesky green toad ventured to query. He was hanging on for dear life onto the trailing end of the demon lord's fur stole.

_How impertinent, Sesshoumaru thought_. He did not deign to answer. They were nearing their destination. _You had better be where I think you are Inuyasha, or else there will be hell to pay._

**More Writer's Yaps:**

Now, I wasn't sure if this can really be called a chapter, its much too short. Hehe, sorry. I've sort of hit a blank wall at this point. I've got several ideas brewing about the Sess/Inu confrontation, but I'm not certain which one to use yet. If you've got any comments or suggestions, please fire away! I'll be ready with chapter 3 in the next couple of days.

Til the next chapter, Ja ne!


	3. Chapter 3

Oiy Minna-san! I decided to continue this fic after all (talk about being fickle!). Well, it just didn't sit well with me not finishing what I started. So here goes, I hope you guys still take the time to tell me what you think. Thanks for the support. J

**The World at Her Feet**

**Chapter 3**

"You give that back you stupid dog, or I'll…I'll!"

"Or you'll what? Roast me to a crisp? Keh, in your dreams, bozo!" Inuyasha held the scrumptious piece of grilled salmon he had plucked off Shippou's plate above his head, well out of reach of the tiny fox-demon.

"Why you…arghh!" With a sudden lunge Shippou grabbed on to Inuyasha's sleeve and proceeded to skitter up his arm to salvage his property. The white-haired dog carelessly sent him sprawling with a little flicker of his other wrist. Stuffing the fish in his mouth, he said smugly "Hah! Let's see you beat that!"

"Inuyasha! Osuwari!"

The kotodama rosary around the hanyou's neck did its work. BLAG! With a sickening thud, Inuyasha lay sprawled on the tatami mats in a heap.

Rising to his feet, Shippou said gloatingly "You were saying…?" followed by peals of laughter.

Kagome sighed. _Whew, I guess they'll never change_. _How am I ever gonna concentrate on my schoolwork worrying about these two? Bickering back and forth is a regular sport to them but its been getting more heated as of late. Poor Shippou. Inuyasha must be getting restless being cooped up here for so long and he's taking it out on the boy._

"Inuyasha, behave! You are a guest in this house," she reprimanded sternly.

"Keh, whaddya do that for huh? You're no fun! It was his fault anyway, for not guarding his plate." Inuyasha glared at Shippou. "Stupid fox!"

Shippou glared back and stuck out his tongue at him.

Sighing again, Kagome said, "Alright you two, that's enough. You guys have a long day tomorrow. We've dallied here long enough already. You've got to resume the search for Naraku without me 'cause I've got to study for midterms. I can't afford to fail the exams next week because they comprise 50 percent of my grade. I can't study and worry about you two at the same time."

"She's right, you know. Give her a break. Everyone should get some rest after supper because we'll be rising with the dawn," the taijiya Sango piped in, stroking her youkai cat Kirara, who was asleep on her lap.

"Yeah, we've been lazing here for too long, our skills might be getting a little rusty," Miroku added. The Houshi's hand started wandering down to the exterminator's posterior, a dreamy smile etched on his handsome face.

"Baka, you pervert!" Sango bit out, her face flushed, one hand reaching for her hefty boomerang and conking the priest on the head with it.

Supper at Kaede oba-chan's was always an event whenever this group stayed over. The old miko had missed this merry troupe a lot. They didn't visit as much due to their perilous traveling. It was a wonder they even stayed this long. And soon they would be leaving again. She smiled at the group wistfully. _Oh, what I would give to be young again_.

"Well, I guess I should be on my way. I'll see you guys in a couple of days." With that announcement, Kagome rose to her feet and slung her trusty backpack over her shoulder. "Aren't you guys gonna see me off?"

"Of course we are," Sango irritably swatted Miroku's hand on her thigh, gently shoved Kirara off her lap and stood up too. "Let's go."

_At the Bone-Eater's Well…_

"Ja ne, take care of yourself Kagome-chan, and gambatte!"

"Thanks! Bye! Don't get into trouble without me," Kagome gave Inuyasha a withering look. "You behave, or else no ramen for you when I get back. And be nice to Shippou-chan."

Inuyasha snorted. "Keh, as if I…"

Kagome's brows rose up a notch.

"Sheesh, alright already. Don't you worry about anything."

The kitsune snickered. "Hehe, if he gives me any trouble, I'll be sure to tell you when you get back."

"Well then, bye for now!" With one last wave, Kagome leaped inside the well and disappeared.

The night was serenely still. Not even a gentle breeze marred the leaves on the treetops. The others were already in bed and Inuyasha was just dozing off when his ears suddenly pricked up. _Someone is coming. I can feel it. _His hackles rose, expecting trouble. _"Damn you, Naraku," he thought. "Can't this wait until tomorrow?"_

Swiftly he got up from his prone position on the hardwood floor and quietly padded to the door so as not to wake his companions. He was probably being too hasty in assuming that there would be trouble, it could be nothing after all. Sliding the shoji screen aside, he stepped out and bounded down the steps. No, he wasn't exaggerating, he did feel _uneasy_.

A glowing white ball of light suddenly descended from the tops of the towering trees. And all of a sudden, his self-centered half-brother was standing not ten feet in front of him. In his shock Inuyasha could only gape at him. He shook his head, and finally gathering his senses, he growled out, "What the hell are you doing here, you bastard?" Drawing the Tessaiga from its sheath, he threateningly positioned the sword in front of him.

Sesshoumaru did not bat an eye at the insult. He did not give a damn about his sibling's crude language. The truth is, he felt an immense amount of relief knowing that he was right in his assumption. Inuyasha was indeed lodging at the old woman's place. Without another glance at the hanyou, he proceeded to walk over to the house.

"Wait a minute…where do you think you're going?" He stepped in front of his brother, his lips folded back in a ferocious snarl.

Sesshoumaru halted in his tracks and finally spared his brother a look, his face impassive. "This Sesshoumaru requires the young miko's assistance, now get out of my way or I will strike you where you stand."

"What? What the…?" And for the first time he noticed the little girl tucked in the arm of the taiyoukai. She was ashen-faced, her features contorted in pain. Surprised, he said, "What's wrong with Rin?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes burned like twin fires. "This does not concern you. Now, bring the girl out right now or I will fetch her myself, by force if necessary."

By this time, Sango, Miroku and Shippou ambled out of the house, weapons at the ready. They were awakened by the commotion caused by the brothers.

Having heard Sesshoumaru's last rejoinder, Sango volunteered, "Kagome is not here. She had to go back to her own time for a while."

Upon hearing that, Sesshoumaru's face fell partly in surprise and partly in anxiety, but no one could be certain as it slipped back into an apathetic mask. Turning to Inuyasha, he said in an imperious tone that brooked no argument, "If that's the case, then you will take me to her, _immediately_."

"If you let us have a look at her, we might be able to tell what's wrong and ease her suffering." This coming from Kaede. The old priestess was also jolted awake by the ruckus outside and went to investigate herself.

"Yes, we are experienced in dealing with many types of human injuries and-," Sango started to elaborate.

"No!" Sesshoumaru ground out fiercely. "This is beyond your knowledge. She needs something else, something only the miko can provide." His eyes flashed, registering with something close to enraged panic. He had an almost uncontrollable urge to _kill_ them all right now. "She does not have much time."

His words hung in the air. Jaken, who had been silent all this time, spoke up quietly, "You had better hurry and take Rin to the miko's world because if anything happens to the her Sesshoumaru-sama will undoubtedly not spare your lives."

Glancing at the girl in his brother's carry made Inuyasha realize how crucial Rin's predicament was. She was making distressed whimpering sounds, obviously she was in terrible pain. If the situation wasn't a life-and-death matter, Inuyasha would have laughed at the bizarre scenario. Seeing Sesshoumaru in such an unheard-of display of agitation and pleading for his help, moreover, would have made his day. His brother was not as cold-hearted as he usually thought he was.

"Keh, all you had to do was ask nicely. The well is not far from here." With a telltale wave of his hand, Inuyasha motioned for Sesshoumaru to follow him.

Without a word, Sesshoumaru fell in behind him, the rest of the party following in his wake. "We need to make haste," he said walking rapidly.

"Don't get me wrong here. Just so you know, I wouldn't be doing this if it weren't for Rin and-"

"I do not care for your senseless chatter," Sesshoumaru cut in rudely.

"Keh! Whatever." Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha led the way to a clearing in the forest. Situated in the middle, illuminated by a faint wash of moonlight, was the nondescript wooden portal to the future dimension. Walking quickly up to the structure, he said, "This is it."

Sesshoumaru's amber-colored eyes glowed in the pale light as he contemplated the well. Lowering his head, he directed his gaze at the helpless girl on his arm. With a grim determination, he stepped up to the well.

"D-Do you need me to accompany you, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Jaken asked timidly. He was more than a little terrified of what he would see at the bottom of the structure, but he would go if he was needed.

"Iye, stay here and await our return."

The green toad's head bobbed up and down, his relief apparent, "As you wish, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Alright then. I'll jump in first and you follow suit," Inuyasha instructed. Glancing at the others, he said "I'll see you guys later," and with those parting words hopped inside the opening.

Sesshoumaru nodded in assent. He was really going to do this. For her sake. Without further ado, he gracefully leaped into the unknown.

Whew! That was quite a chapter. I know things are progressing quite slowly, but it's the most I can do for now, hehe. I hope you guys like it. Please read and review! Ja ne! J


	4. Chapter 4

**Writer's Yaps:**

Oiy minna-san! I just need to point out that I made an _unforgivable_ error in chapter 2. I referred to Sesshoumaru's sword as the Tessaiga instead of the Tenseiga (that's wishful thinking on his part, hehe!). Sorry about that. The necessary corrections have been made. (wink)

Oh, and Foxmagic, thanks for the tip. Actually this fic isn't gonna contain a pairing. It's more of a father/daughter relationship between Sess and Rin. :)

And uh, I think this is gonna be the final chapter. I've started a new Inuyasha fic (please, oh please watch out for that); one that I hope has a much better plot than this and I cannot wait to get back to it. I wasn't about to leave this hanging though. Gotta finish what I started. So I'm sorry if the ending seems a bit hurried. Hehehe!

Anyway, I would like to thank those who reviewed. You guys made me think that I can really do this! Thank you, thank you! Cheerios!

-0-0-0-

**Chapter 4**

Kagome emerged out of the bathroom after a long, relaxing soak in the tub. It had been ages since her last real bath, what with having to settle for freezing dunks in whatever river or spring they happened to pass by in the Sengoku Jidai. Unwinding the fluffy yellow towel around her head, she flopped down in the middle of her bed and let out a contented sigh. Buyo, her huge tri-colored tabby immediately hopped onto the bed with her and settled himself comfortably on her stomach. Jeez, she was quite exhausted for some reason, her eyes slowly fluttering shut. She started to doze.

A sudden scraping sound at the window roused her from her sleep. She quickly scrambled to her feet, sending Buyo crashing to the floor. Peering at her through the clear glass was a face she never thought she would see this soon. Her mouth quickly formed a big O in surprise. Then her surprise quickly turned to alarm. _What was he doing here? Something awful must have happened._

Stepping up to the window, she opened it with a resounding bang, letting in a draft of cool night air. "What on earth are you doing here? Has something happened?" she demanded.

"Keh, we have a weird situation here." He gestured with his head to the ground below. Kagome leaned out the window to peer at the ground. Illuminated by the pale wash of the moonlight was Inuyasha's half-brother. He was standing erect with a bundle in his arm which at a closer look turned out to be Rin. Kagome couldn't have been more shocked.

"Now, what on earth is _he_ doing here? Has something happened to Rin? That's the only reason I can think of."

Inuyasha nodded. "The girl is in pain…it's her stomach, I think. The bastard wouldn't let us touch her. He insisted on seeing you…said that you have powerful medicine that can cure her. Ya know I wouldn't have come to all this trouble if it weren't for…"

"Oh shut up. It must really be serious if he thought he had to come all this way for help," Kagome said, her forehead curling into a concerned frown. "Let me get dressed and I'll be right on down. We need to get her to the hospital immediately. Thank god Mom's home, she can drive us there. Now scoot."

The hanyou let go of the sill and dropped down to the ground, landing gracefully on his feet. "She'll be right down," he said to his brother, scratching behind his ears.

Sesshoumaru nodded, his face showing no emotion, but inside he was frantic. Now that they were here, he felt more pressed for time. This could not go on much longer. Tortured groans still spilled from Rin's mouth, her face deathly pale.

"Oiy, Inu no Ni-chan! When did you get here? And who's this?" A lad of about eight years old emerged from the house on his way to the storeroom. His eyes widened at the sight of the armor-clad Sesshoumaru. "Ooohh, sugoi! Is that real armor? And those swords!" He hurried down the steps and paused in front of the demon lord, his gaze awestruck. "Wow, are you for real? Nope, you must be a theater actor or something." He noticed the little girl cradled in Sesshoumaru's arm. "Hey what's wrong with her? She sick or something?"

Inuyasha's hand clamped down on Souta's arm and steered the boy behind his back. The look on his brother's face was none too friendly and he was afraid he might lash out at Kagome's kid brother. Sesshoumaru's hold on his temper wasn't at its best right now. His jaw was clenched too tightly and his eyes glinted with a feral amber light.

"This is Inuyasha's brother, Sesshoumaru, and the girl is his er…daughter, Rin. She needs to be taken to hospital. Now you be a good boy and fetch whatever Oji-chan ordered you to," Kagome emerged from the doorway followed closely by her mother.

"Oh wow, you never told me that Inu no Ni-chan also had an Inu no Ni-chan!" Souta exclaimed, coming out from behind Inuyasha. "Whoa, so those swords are for real, cool! Those are waaay cooler than Inu no Ni-chan's. Can I touch them?" He gazed imploringly at the impassive countenance of Sesshoumaru. Then his eyes dropped down to Rin. "Poor girl, she's really ill." Suddenly noticing the youkai lord's missing appendage, he asked curiously, "How did you lose your arm?

Souta, that's not very nice," Kagome admonished sternly.

"Sorry," Souta replied apologetically, his face mirroring his pity.

As was his usual manner, Sesshoumaru ignored the child and turned to Kagome, "We should go now," he ordered in a tone lacking any inflection. A muscle ticked in his jaw, indicating his impatience to be off.

"Hai, you're right. Mom will drive us to the hospital. It's quicker than hailing a cab," Kagome replied, motioning behind her to reveal her mother. "Oh-," she glanced at Sesshoumaru's armor, so out of place in today's world. "That won't do, but there's no time to take it off so you will just have to pretend that you're a Kabuki actor or something." She sidled up to Inuyasha and said, "There's no need for you to come with us, so you might as well go back."

"Keh! As if I'm gonna allow him to be alone with you guys. Don't you realize how dangerous he is? What if he suddenly goes berserk?" Inuyasha countered hotly.

With a sigh of exasperation, Kagome reached into the pocket of her jeans, pulled out a baseball cap and jammed it on his head, covering his fluffy dog-ears. Somehow, she knew that was what he was going to say. "Very well, let's go."

Mrs.Higurashi stepped up in front of Sesshoumaru and offered her hand for a shake. "Hello, I'm Kagome's mother and I would be happy to drive you to the hospital."

Sesshoumaru was bewildered. Why _was this woman's arm extended to him? Was he supposed to take it?_ He stared back at her indifferently, unsure of what to do, itching to be off.

"Er, Mom, this is not the time for pleasantries. We should be on our way, you see…" Kagome interrupted with a worried glance at Rin.

"Oh, I'm sorry, how silly of me. Come on, this way please." Mrs.Higurashi hurriedly made her way to the back of the house where the garage was located, the others falling into step behind her. "Oh the poor little dear, how she must be suffering," she clucked sympathetically. "I hope we won't encounter too much traffic along the way."

-0-0-0-

This odd place reeks of death and decay, imbued with more strange odors that he could not identify, suffocating him. He did not like it, this prison. He felt as if he were trapped, caged within its pristine bare walls. The ceiling was so close to his head, he felt as if it was going to come crashing down on him. This was so much worse than the ride on the way here, where he had seen a motley of mind-boggling things. Mind-boggling indeed. Firstly, they were whisked off to this place in a very swift-moving box that was redolent of polished leather. Secondly, never in his entire life had he seen a profusion of so many flashing lights they put a rainbow to shame, rendering him slightly dizzy. The most inconceivable of all were the larger-than-life humans living inside flat rectangular boxes. They seemed to be unaware that the people outside were watching their every move. He never had headaches, but now it seemed as if one was forming in his temples.

Upon arriving at the emergency room (as the miko pointed out), Rin was briskly placed on a metal bed set atop small wheels. She cried pitifully for her Sesshoumaru-sama as she was gently wrenched away from his protective embrace. When the woman in the funny little cap and white dress started to poke a needle in her arm, Sesshoumaru growled angrily, his hand flying to the hilt of Toukijin.

Kagome stayed his arm and rapidly made an attempt to explain what was going to commence. It turns out that a blood test would have to be administered, though the doctors were certain that the child was afflicted with appendicitis. She had to be operated on right away. Sesshoumaru frowned and commanded her to elaborate on this.

"Well, uh, you see…the doctors are going to open her up and take out a small organ from inside her body," she explained. Seeing a look of trepidation cross Sesshoumaru's features made her add hastily, "It's this particular organ that's causing her pain. If they don't take it out its going to rupture and Rin will, well, she'll die."

At that the taiyoukai's face turned even grimmer so she quickly added, "Its very minor surgery. She won't even feel a thing 'cause they're gonna put her to sleep first. There's really nothing to it, happens all the time. Look, see here." Kagome lifted the right corner of her t-shirt, revealing a two-inch scar. "I went through the same thing when I was ten you see, there's really nothing to worry about," she reassured him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, Rin is scared." The child spoke, her voice bearing a slight tremor. Her luminous brown eyes were wide with fear and two fat teardrops rolled down her cheeks due to the pain in her side and the sting of the syringe.

Making his way to Rin's side, he bent down and whispered softly in her ear, "You are going to be fine. This Sesshoumaru will not permit anything to harm you."

The little girl's hand snaked its way to his, entwining her small fingers with his much larger ones. Rin's innocent face considerably brightened. Though her joy was clearly visible, her smile was marred by a pained grimace. She said in a faint whisper, "This Rin knows. This Rin knows that her Sesshoumaru-sama will never leave her. That she and her Sesshoumaru-sama will be together…always." It was becoming quite an effort to speak. Rin's eyes slowly drifted shut as the sedatives began to take effect. Her hold on his hand eased from its death-like grip. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes for a brief moment, willing himself not to feel anything. But it wasn't possible. A floodtide of unnamed and inexplicable feelings cascaded over his entire being. When he opened them again he gently extricated her tiny fingers from his hold and smoothed the untamable damp locks from her brow.

The nurse at his elbow informed him that it was time to take Rin away, so he let her go, watching solemnly as they wheeled her to a pair of doors at the end of the corridor. He had an irresistible urge to run after her, but a warm hand on his arm stopped him from doing so. He turned to face the miko, who had an odd look on her face.

Kagome dropped her arm. She had just witnessed something so poignant, something so unbelievably rare that a lump formed in her throat. The moment was so out of the ordinary that she almost wished she had a camera. Though his face remained devoid of emotion, his heart was obviously not. It was so hard to believe that the coldest, most apathetic being she knew…had a heart after all. A heart that was capable of feeling and caring for someone other than himself.

She smiled inwardly, her heart going out to him. There was hope for him after all. He wasn't beyond all feeling, much as he would like everyone to perceive. All it took was the tender smile of a particular _human _girl.

-0-0-0-

Alrighty, that's it! It was much too short I know, but I am so eager to begin my new fic that I had to cut this. Thanks again everyone! Reviews and comments, mashes and bashes are still much appreciated.

Until next time, ja ne!


	5. Chapter 5

**Writer's Yaps:**

Ok, so maybe I've been a bit hasty in saying that that was gonna be the final chapter. I read the entire story this evening and figured that there was something lacking in it. So Angel452, I guess I'll write an epilogue after I finish posting this bit. Thanks for the review!

Oh, and Nythology, I'm working on a new Sess/Rin fic right now. The rest of the gang's gonna be in it as well, so please watch out for it! First chappie will be up in a couple days.

Whoohee! I just now realized that the anonymous review blocker is ON. Foxmagic advised me to disable it a couple days ago but it slipped my mind somehow. Aww man, all those lost reviews! Oh well, gotta get to it right now before I forget again…hehe!

Now wait a minute…can there be an epilogue without a prologue? Hmm, I'll probably just label it ch 5… or as a separate story…whatever!

'Til next time, Ja ne!


	6. Epilogue

**Writer's Yaps:**

Ok as promised, an epilogue. I originally posted this as a separate story for some reason. Doesn't make any sense, huh? Hehe! Anyway, I wasn't really sure how to begin this so it's gonna seem a little rough. Oh well, here goes!

Please R 'n R!

**The World at Her Feet – Epilogue**

She was cold. Darn the dratted air conditioning. Due to their haste in taking Rin here she forgot to bring a sweater. Hospitals always made her uncomfortable, but it was not much as the cold itself but for the feel of the place. Kagome was rarely sick as a child, though between several ulcers, an appendectomy, and having had her tonsils taken out her memories of the place just weren't very good.

She squirmed on the plastic seat and rubbed her hands together for warmth. They've been sitting in the waiting room for the past hour, impatient for news of Rin's condition. Inuyasha, who was seated on her right, felt the tremors emanating from her. He took off his fire-rat cloak and draped it over her shoulders.

Kagome turned to face him and smiled at him gratefully. Surprisingly, he had been awfully quiet ever since they got here. She had been expecting him to cross swords with his brother, as they were wont to do whenever they were in the vicinity of one another. _His brother…_

The person in mind was seated right next to the swinging doors. His spine was rigid, not touching the backrest of the chair and his face was set in a blank mask. He had not moved a muscle in the last hour, except for his eyes, which flickered to the doors every once in a while. Earlier, the other people in the room were gaping at him avidly, whispering behind their hands. They probably thought that he was an actor or royalty or something like that, what with his immaculate silk kimono and formidable armor. Not to mention those magnificent swords of his. He exuded a regal aura…untouchable and somehow dangerous.

Sesshoumaru paid them no heed. What was going on in there? The miko said it was minor surgery, but why was it taking so long? His hand clenched on his lap, betraying his anxiety, though his features remained stoic. There were only a handful of ningens in the room, and all of them had dozed off except for Kagome and his brother. The priestess's mother got up some time ago and said she was going to the cafeteria for something to eat. He could care less for whatever was happening around him, but he couldn't stand to wait a second longer. Those men were most likely doing something atrocious to his Rin. His hand was clenched so tightly his nails were digging into his palms, his knuckles white. All manner of horrifying images flickered unbidden across his head. Perhaps they couldn't sew her stomach back properly; maybe they couldn't get the blasted organ out. _She could be bleeding to death right this instant, calling out to him to save her!_ His eyes widened in fear, shuddering inwardly. Pushing those abominable thoughts from his mind, he abruptly rose to his feet. _He would kill them…he would kill them all for making her suffer._

"Sesshoumaru! Wait, where are you going?" Kagome exclaimed, jumping to her feet.

Ignoring her, the demon lord purposefully made his way to the set of doors at the end of the hall. As if on cue, they burst open and out walked a man garbed all in blue. There was an odd cap on his head made of the same blue material, making it appear as if his head was shaved but the skin on it was a wrinkly blue instead of a human's fleshy color. His feet were encased in weird squishy slippers. A grin was pasted on his bearded face. "Oh hello there. I'm Doctor Mizuki. I'm pleased to inform you that the operation went without a hitch. She's gonna be just fine."

It took a while for Sesshoumaru to realize that this man was addressing him. He was obviously referring to Rin. Not knowing what to say, he merely nodded, an immense wave of relief suddenly crashing over him. Black and purple spots suddenly danced in front of his vision, making him feel light-headed and faint. _Aww hell, what in the world was happening to him? This Sesshoumaru has never passed out in his entire existence. _

Next to him, Kagome gave a sigh of relief. "Oh thank heavens! We were so worried. May we see her now?"

"Certainly," Mizuki said as he consulted his clipboard. "The girl's asleep. She needs to stay in bed for the next week or so, and she must be given a soft diet for the duration. Here's a list of painkillers." He handed a sheet of paper to Kagome. "Make her take one or two tabs a day when her wound starts paining her. The anesthesia should wear off in a couple hours. Now, this way please."

The doctor motioned them beyond the doors and directed them to the third room on the right. "Please have a care not to wake her, she's gone through quite an ordeal. Goodnight!" And with that he left.

Kagome spun on her heels and turned to face Inuyasha, who had come trotting after her. "You stay here and wait for mom. We'll just check on Rin," she ordered pointedly.

Inuyasha nodded reluctantly. "Keh, alright," he replied grudgingly, not wanting to leave Kagome alone with his brother.

She gave him a reassuring smile. "I'll be ok." She brought her head back around to look where Sesshoumaru had gone. He was standing in front of Rin's door, looks of uncertainty and anticipation battling across his face.

Kagome stepped up to the door and opened it softly. With a wave of her hand, she gestured for Sesshoumaru to precede her.

With steely resolve, Sesshoumaru cautiously took several steps inside the threshold. He was feeling two things at once; he was afraid to see that he would find her hurting still, and eager at the same time knowing that she was fine. The room was bathed in a mild, warm glow from a lamp on the bedside table. The window shutters were left open, letting pale moonlight filter in. His eyes drifted to the middle of the room. His Rin…his Rin was lying asleep in the middle of the bed, the huge size of it dwarfing her tiny form. Her face was white and pallid, but her expression was serene; she was no longer hurting. He approached the side of the bed, sitting on a hard-backed chair facing her. Now that it was over, all he could do was stare at her. She seemed to be in one piece, all of her limbs were intact. Amazing what these modern times could do. Unknowingly he reached for her hand, enveloping her fragile fingers in his strong ones.

Kagome lingered just inside the door, not wanting to disturb the youkai in his musings. He was probably unaware that his eyes were unusually gentle as they roved over his charge, checking for signs of distress. Finding none, he took her hand and continued to watch her sleep, his face slipping back into its customary impassive countenance. She felt her eyes moistening at this sudden display of tenderness. Without a word, she slipped quietly out of the room.

Sesshoumaru did not notice the miko leave. His head was ready to explode thinking of the times he spent with Rin before all this ever happened. He remembered her sunny disposition, her boundless spirit, her unfailing faith in him. It was all too much. He was feeling too much. He, Sesshoumaru, the great Lord of the Western Lands, was a weakling. A weakling for he allowed himself to be subject to emotion, that detestable human attribute, making him vulnerable. He despised himself for letting this happen, but if truth be told he knew he was deluding himself. For the first time, for as long as he could recall, he felt _good_ inside. The situation was so unheard of, so damn absurd, that he had an almost uncontrollable compulsion to throw back his head and laugh. But, no, oh no…for this Sesshoumaru never laughed, it was inconceivable. He silently chastised himself for almost letting go.

Rin stirred in her sleep, her fingers unconsciously tightening on his. Her lips moved, and he leaned down to catch the words, "…forever…together forever with Sesshoumaru-sama," she murmured faintly. She must surely be dreaming.

"Hai, Rin. We will be together forever. This Sesshoumaru solemnly swears," he replied just as softly. He suddenly felt like laughing again, in relief and contentment. He would _never _do so though. But his lips were twitching, twitching…the corners of his mouth slowly stretching upward in a smile. Well, he would just have to settle for that instead.

-0-0-0-

**Writer's Yaps:**

Alrighty, that's it! I would have posted this last night but I fell asleep halfway through writing it. Anyway, I'll be working on my next story now, and it's still about Sess and Rin, although this time, as a pairing. Please watch out for that one!

Reviews are still much appreciated, thanks everyone!

Until next time…Jan e!


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